Gwadar-Quetta road to be completed next month

November 8, 2016350 Views

LAHORE: The development work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was in full swing and the Gwadar-Quetta road would be completed by next month, which was ahead of schedule, said Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal.

Speaking at the inauguration of the International Business Conference and Exhibition (IBCE) 2016, organised by the provincial and federal governments as well as the University of Management and Technology (UMT), Iqbal said work on Dera Ismail Khan-Quetta road had also been initiated while the DI Khan-Burhan road would be completed by 2018.

CPEC: a positive outlook

He said CPEC would bring prosperity to backward and far-off areas of the country. “Special attention has been given to Sindh and Balochistan in the CPEC projects, as raw coal for coal-run projects can easily be provided in these two provinces,” he added.

“The government is paying attention to the capacity building of students to prepare them for challenges of the modern age,” said the minister.

The government had successfully tackled the challenge of terrorism and now terrorists were on the run, said the minister, adding, “we are witnessing unprecedented changes in every sector in modern times as it is the century of innovative ideas.”

Iqbal said the basic rationale behind holding the IBCE 2016 was to give a boost to Pakistan’s economy, highlight various dimensions of CPEC, widen government’s linkages with overseas companies and business firms, bridge the gap between academia and industry, set up a link between local and foreign companies, transfer latest technology and create opportunities for the youth.

The IBCE-2016 is being organised to highlight important sectors, which include clean energy, automobile, IT and telecom, textile, services, construction and housing, manufacturing, food and agriculture and fast-moving consumer goods.

CPEC for Punjab or Pakistan: Myth and reality

Also speaking at the conference, Chief Adviser to Turkish President Iinur Cevik said Pakistan and Turkey shared special ties that were based on brotherly relations rather than on any strategic interests.

UMT Rector Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad revealed that they initially met with skepticism when they first took up the idea of organising an international business conference and exhibition.